How to book/reserve a berth when sailing in Croatia?

Some of the most popular FAQs these days:

How Can we book/reserve a spot in the marina in advance?
How Can we secure an anchorage spot?

Some Advice From Our Skippers Diary:

In general, finding a berth during the busy season requires some more advanced planning. The time immediately before the beginning of the summer season is perfectly normal. Busy season is July and August, especially the four weeks starting on the 15th of July and concluding on the 15th of August, therefore is recommended to plan some days in advance.

In general, there are three types of "berthing" solutions:

1) Those under the port authority administration (Sali, Vis, Komiža, Stari Grad etc.)
2) Marinas and chains of marinas (ACI, Martinis Marchi (Maslinica), Korkyra (Vela Luka),
Frapa, Ilirija, Marina Šangulin, etc.)
3) Restaurants, with their moorings, "marinas", buoys, etc.

Now, here's how each of the mentioned berthing solution works:

1) Those under the port authority administration:

THERE IS NO RESERVATION SYSTEM!!! The general rule is "first come, first served", meaning whoever comes first will be prioritized, of course, if there are any berths. Good knowledge of micro-locations and guest migration throughout the week and the ability to combine this information with weather prediction is welcome.

As a general rule, it is crucial to arrive at the desired berthing location as early as possible, at least until 16:00, if the forecast is ideal and there are no requirements for a "hurry" for that location. For example, if crowds are expected because it is a busy day for that location, the arrival time should be moved to 14:00 hours. In another instance, if a bad forecast is expected (strong bura, jugo or nevera) for the following evening, then the arrival time should be moved to noon.

In any case, you can sail into the port anytime in the morning (when the ships start leaving the port) and stay moored for a shorter time (max. 2 hours) to buy groceries or top up with water (of course, if there is no water reduction at that location). Therefore, mooring fees for those berths under the port authority administration (if any) are insignificant.

2) Marinas and chains of marinas like ACI etc.

The system in the Marinas is fully organized, and in most cases, there should be a berth reservation system. Find it out by going to the websites of each marina you desire to visit and checking the conditions and reservation methods. Some work on "trust" and do not charge for the reservation in advance, while others have an online billing system so that the berth and the reservation are paid in advance.

Each marina separately prescribes the required arrival time, after which the reservation is no longer valid (even if you have paid for the berth in advance). Of course, as in the case of "berths under port authorities", there are more frequent days for a particular location, either due to the migration of guests or due to weather conditions. So, for example, probably ACI Korčula or PALMIŽANA should be booked three days in advance, while ACI Skradin is less busy all week, for example.

3) last but not least, the "reservation" system of moorings and buoys among the restaurant on the islands

works on the principle of trust and communication with the staff of the object. Experiences vary depending on each restaurant! The contact of any restaurant can be found on the web or the Navionics app. Usually, the price of the berth is included in the meal and therefore anticipated, you spend dinner or lunch at the object, with some exceptions. The availability of electricity and water also depends on each location individually. It should be kept in mind that certain bays where the restaurants are located are "open" to the winds of a specific direction and that mooring in such conditions is quite unsafe. Considering the weather forecast, the restaurant's responsible staff will probably advise you to reject to moor there, but ultimately the responsibility is yours.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSIONS

- Higher season, finding a berth during the busy season requires some more advanced planning!

- The cities (berths under port authorities) are the most beautiful and safe, but there is no reservation system, and you should arrive earlier!

- MARINAS have the possibility of reservations, they are the safest, but the atmosphere is less attractive than other mooring options.

- RESTAURANTS have fantastic atmospheres but are potentially unsafe for some wind directions; on the other hand, they can be booked in advance.

*Still, experiences on deals (prices to be paid in the package with dinner and berthing) are unique (from restaurant to restaurant and location to location), and therefore general conclusions cannot be made.

TIPS AND TRICKS

- Book and plan everything at least three days in advance, ESPECIALLY FOR SATURDAY when you check in and take your boat.

- Decide to set sails among the first or last people from the home charter-base marina.

- Take the early check-in option when you book your yacht charter holidays; this way, you will be ready (with purchased groceries and necessities) for the earliest possible departure on your first sailing vacation day (Saturday). This way, you will have a "longer" sailing range on day ONE, and with that range, you can run away from the "mainstream sailing fleets" most of the week.

Another tip, contrary to the above, is: take it easy and intentionally "plan" to set sail a day later... you're on an annual vacation, you don't need any stress, and there's probably an ideal place close to the starting marina for an afternoon swim very close to the home charter-base (and here you can return to spend the night for free). With that, you will let the mainstream fleet get ahead of you!

- Think carefully about what you want from the sailing cruise and discuss it with the rest of the group if you want to go to the most exciting places or take it easy.

Determine how many days you want to be tourists and how many days you want to "just" chill. It will make your sailing route planning a lot easier! Figure out how many days you want to be tourists and how many days you want to "just chill." It will make it much easier for you to plan your sailing route.

- In the case of shorter and significantly longer unfavourable forecasts, it is better to stick to routes that follow the mainland because there is a greater possibility of finding berths (all charter marinas are on the mainland). In addition, the network of marinas on land is so dense that it is impossible to be left out with a secure berthing place.

Final Conclusion:

IT'S NOT THE DESTINATION BUT THE JOURNEY THAT MATTERS! Independent planning, study and discovery of possible sailing routes and destinations is a pleasure and vacation in itself. It often creates the most memorable experiences, but if the above does not apply to you, JUST KEEP CALM AND GET A SKIPPER.